California Biographies
Codding, G. R.
Transcribed by Peggy Hooper
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
Codding, G. R. The subject of this sketch was born in Bristol, Ontario county,
New York, June 14, 1826, and is of the old Puritan stock. Here he received his
education and remained until the year 1846, when he proceeded to Will county,
Illinois, and embarked in the nursery business, which he followed until April 1,
1849. The reported fabulous discoveries of gold in California prompted him to
make the then dangerous and tedious trip to the Pacific across the plains.
Arriving at the Platte river he constructed from cotton wood a number of boats
and engaged in ferrying for four weeks. There was a large travel over this route
at the time, and Mr. Codding was kept busy day and night. During these four
weeks he ferried five hundred emigrant wagons, including the noted train from
Missouri led by Colonel Pope, consisting of fifty wagons and two hundred and
fifty emigrants. From this point on he traveled with a pack-horse via Salt Lake
City, where he arrived on the 24th of July. As Mr. Codding had been raised in a
Christian land and been taught from childhood up to regard the Sabbath according
to the strict letter of the law, he thought it as much his duty to respect the
Holy Writ upon the wild and trackless plains as when traveling in his native
land. During the first week, he was with other traveling companions, but as soon
as Sunday morning dawned he was deserted, as he always rested on the Sabbath
day. The consequence was that he made most of the journey alone, his only
companion being his faithful horse. However slow his progress seemed, he
succeeded in reaching Sacramento City far in advance of nearly all of those with
whom he traveled while making the journey. He arrived in Sacramento City
September 21, 1849, where he remained one week. Sacramento at that time, though
a trading post of considerable importance, was so new that the grass had hardly
been trodden in its principal streets. There were no churches, and the name of
God was only heard in profanity; gorgeous saloons were opened to allure the
unwary, and spirituous liquors flowed like water. Here Mr. Codding resolved anew
to adhere to the pledge taken in his youth which yet he had never broken: to
abstain from the use of intoxicating drink. To this resolve he attributes the
fact that, although not of a strong constitution, he has outlived many of his.
friends and acquaintances, who have fallen through the too frequent use of
intoxicating liquors. After a week's stay in Sacramento, Mr. Codding, in company
with others, proceeded to Napa City for the purpose of establishing a shingle
factory, but after giving the matter a thorough canvass they concluded that the
scheme was impracticable and abandoned the idea. Late in 1849 we find Mr.
Codding at Redding, Shasta county, prospecting in mining. Here he was taken ill
and was obliged to abandon his pursuit for the glittering metal and in company
with Mr. Bowles of Galena, Illinois, found their way to Sonoma city. In the Fall
of 1854 he settled in Petaluma valley and engaged in the nursery business until
1860, when he became a resident of Petaluma. Here he opened the news and
exchange business. In 1868, Mr. Codding was led to the investigation of the then
prevalent system of life insurance, his investigations being stimulated at that
time by the loss in one of these companies of seven hundred dollars. In studying
the workings of these institutions, he became convinced that too many of them
were merely concocted schemes to mislead the unwary, and to fleece the
pockets-of the unsuspecting for the benefits of the companies and their agents;
and that too often these companies became mere confidence men, under the guise
of life insurance. These convictions led his practical mind to devise some
system that should carry with it the benefits desired from life insurance and
avoid the expense and uncertainty attending the latter. After comparing the
different systems of co-operative associations, he perfected the plan and
organized the Sonoma and Marin Mutual Beneficial Association in 1868, and in
1870 organized the Mutual Relief Association of Petaluma, of which institution
he has been the continuous secretary and business manager. The histories of
these associations will appear in their proper place in this volume. These
associations, with others that soon followed, were so vigorously attacked by
those interested in life insurance companies, that adverse laws were attempted
to be enacted through the powerful influence of the wealth of these
incorporations. This aroused Mr. Codding again to the necessity of protecting
these societies that he had laboured so arduously to build up, and accordingly,
in 1873, he was instrumental in getting an act passed by the California
Legislature especially for the protection of these associations As a
consequence, while the gigantic life insurance corporations have continually
tumbled and gone by the board, the system of co-operative protective societies
has become the only protection now much sought after by those depending upon
life insurance. On the 28th of June, 1865, Mr. Codding was married to Miss
Millie M. Colby, who was a native of Vermont. By this union he has had seven
children: George C. Codding, born March 21, 1866; Charles R., born September 12,
1867; Emily M., born October 21, 1871; Anna L., born March 19, 1874; Ella S.,
born August 4, 1875; William T., born November 14, 1876; Thomas M., born August
18, 1878.
Source: HISTORY OF SONOMA COUNTY, Alley, Bowen & Co. 1880